Compound turbine.



No. 725,880. PATENTED APR. 21, 1903.

R. SGHULZ.

COMPOUND TURBINE.

APPLICIATION FILED JUNE 1, 1901.

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PATENTED APR; 21, 1903.

R. SGHULZ. LGOMPOUND TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1901.

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m2 mums bfens co. moraumo \VASNINGTDN, nv c ATENT FFICIL RICHARD SOHULZ, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

COMPOUND TURBINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725.880, dated April 21, 1903. Application filed June 1,1901. Serial No. 62,778. (No model.)

T0 (067/ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD SCH-ULZ, a

subject of the German Emperor, residing at as heretofore constructed lies in the uneco- Berlin, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Compound Turbines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which.

it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I 1

My invention relates to compound turbines generally, embracing both axial and radial turbines, either. tandem or cross compound, and has for its object the arrangement of such as will permit the ready control of any of them individually or means for combining any one with any other in a suitable'manner,

so as to economize steam consu m'ption anda consequent reduction of the amount of coal and at the same time develop a high eificiency.

Turbines heretofore known develop the greatest efficiency when running with a maximum load or power and, on the contrary, develop the smallest efficiency with the use of an incomparably large amount of steam with a small load. This effect is especially noticeable in war-ships, where the greatest economy is desired. In order to arrive at economical working, it is simply necessary to place upon the same shaft one or more turbines capable of being run individually and compounded, whereby when small power is required steam can be admitted to one only, and thereby run this one to develop its maximum power without running the others.

My invention is here shown as applicable to tandem as well as cross compound turbines and a combination of both, wherein- Figure l is a plan view for tandem turbines from one or more of which steam can be cut off. Fig. 2 is a vertical'longitudinal section of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4: are partial sections of the development of the buckets and gates of two adj acent turbines,through which steam is fed axially in opposite direction, both driving the shaft in the same direction; and Fig. 5 showscross and tandem compound turbines,

tandem turbines cross-compounded with other tandem turbines.

The great disadvantage in steam-turbines nomical use of steam in regulating their speed and power. The speed and power of steamturbines' have heretofore been regulated by throttling the steam before admitting it to the turbine; but this is obviously not economical, because the small volume of steam rapidly expands through the turbine Without developing its full power, so that its full utilization becomes impossible.

I have discovered that the speed of the shaft can be easily and economically controlled by placing thereon several turbines or' both in tandem or'in parallel when the largest or larger ones of the set are proportioned to use approximately full volume and pressure of the steam.

Without throttling the steam the speed of the shaft can be reduced ,by admitting the full volume and pressure of the steam to one or more of the smaller turbines compounded in various manners. with the larger ones, as in the examples hereinafter set forth.

I may arrange the turbine-wheels on a common or separate shaft in a single or separate casing, connected to one another by suitable pipes in sucha manner that steam may flow, (a,) from the smallest turbine to the largest in the same direction; (1),) from one or more -turbines in one casing and through one or more turbines in the other casing, either in the same or different directions, and in case of need go from the smallest to the second or third largest, 850., and, (0,) simultaneously to the severalturbines. In this manner it is possible to obtain the greatest efficiency and the smallest steam consumption by cutting out one or more turbines from the system or causing the steam to differently circulate through them, according to requirements.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, in which are shown, by way of example, five turbines on a single shaft, four of them being axial and one radial and of different diameters and lengths, four of them being arranged to be compounded, the fifth radial turbine 5 being used for reverse running, steam is conducted to the set of turbines by pipe 6 from a suitable source of supply to the reversingvalve 7, from the casing of which pipe 8 leads to union 9, opening near the center of the radial turbine into a steam-chamber 12. Steam will thus be conducted through the gates and buckets of the turbine 5 to the annular steam-chamber 13, from which it may be led through a pipe 14 to a suitable condenser 16. Steam in this case will be cut off from the main pipe 10. This turbine 5 is 10- rated on the end of the largest turbine 4, and all of the turbines l, 2, 3, and 4 are keyed to the same shaft 15. Pipe 10 connects the reversing-valve 7 with a cut fi valve 11, said valve controlling the inlet of steam to inletchamber 18 of turbine No. 3, the casing of said valve being further connected by pipe 19 to cut-off valve 20, which controls the entrance of steam into steam-chamber 24 of turbine No. 2, and the casing of this valve is further connected by pipe 25 to one, 26, which controls the entrance of steam to chamber 27 of turbine No. 1.

The exhaust-chamber 28 of turbine No. 1

is connected by pipe 29 to theinlet-chamber 24 of turbine No. 2 through a cut-off valve 30. The exhaust-chamber 31 of turbine No. 2 is connected by pipes 33 and 35 to the inlet-chamber 18 of turbine No. 3, a valve 36 controlling the entrance of steam, and when said valve is closed one, 39, opens a passage for the steam to be led directly into the inlet-chamber 23 of turbine No. 4. A valve 34 closes pipe 29 from pipes 33 and 35.

It is obvious that the gates and buckets must be suitably placed in order that all the turbines will revolve in the same direction. Such arrangement is'shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the arrow showing the direction of steam through the gates 37 and buckets 38, the steam being caused to flow from left to right through turbines 3, 2, and 1 and from right to left through turbine No. 4.

From Fig. 2 it will be seen that steam can be directed by means of the reversing-valve 7 either through pipe 8 or pipe 10. In the latter case the steam will be used for driving the arrangement of turbines in the forward direction, and all the pipes 10,19, and 25 may receive steam, as well as the inlet-chambers 18, 24, and 27 of turbines 3, 2, and 1, when the inlet-valves 11, 20, and 26 are opened. By reason of the before-mentioned arrangement of turbines and valves the turbines can be variously compounded.

Example 1: If valves 11, 20, and 26 are open, so that steam will simultaneously enter the inlet-chambers 18, 24, and 27 of turbines 3, 2, and 1 and pass through them into their exhaust-chambers 21, 31,and 28 into turbine No. 4, this will be accomplished from exhaustchamber 28 of turbine 1 through pipe 29 to the casing of valve 30, which valve is closed, then through open valve 34, pipe 35, past valve 36, which is closed, and through the open valve 39 into the inlet-chamber 23 of said turbine No. 4; from turbine No. 2 by pipe 33, valve 34, pipe 35, valve 36, which is closed, and through valve 39, as before stated. Turbine No. 3 is connected by pipe 22, Fig. 1, to the inlet-chamber 23 of turbine No. 4.

Example 2: Turbines 3 and 4 can be compounded by opening valve 11, all other valves remaining closed. Steam will then enter through pipe 10, valve 11, into inlet-chamber 18, pass through turbine No. 3 into outletchamber 21, by pipe 22 to inlet-chamber 23 of turbine No. 4, and expand through it.

Example 3: Live steam is directed to turbines 3 and 2, which can be compounded with turbine No. 4 by opening valves 11, 20, and 36, all other valves being closed. Steam will enter by pipe 10, pass through pipe 10 and valve 11, through turbine No. 3, and also through pipe 19, valve 20 to turbine No. 2, and pass throughthis turbine to outlet-chamber 31, pipes 33 and 35, and valve 39 to turbine No. 4, while the steam passing through turbine No. 3 will go by pipe 22 directly to turbine No. 4.

Example 4: Turbines 2, 3, and 4 also Work in tandem by opening valves 20 and 36, all other valves being closed. Steam then enters by pipes 10 and 11, by valve 20,passes through turbine N0. 2, pipes 33 to 35, and open valve 36 to tu rbiue No. 3, through it, then by pipe 22 to turbine No. 4.

Example 5: Turbines l, 2, 3, and 4 work with a minimum quantity of steam in tandem when valves 26, 30,and 36 are open, all other valves being closed. Steam then passes directly through pipes 10, 19, and 25 to turbine No. 1, through it and by pipe 29, open valve 30 to turbine No. 2, through it by pipes 33 and 35, through open valve 36 to turbine No. 3, through this turbine and by pipe 22 to turbine No. 4, through the last to the condenser 16.

From the above it will be seen by variously directing the steam that live steam can be used in all three of the small turbines or be expanded successivelythroughthem. Therefore the greatest economy will be obtained by expanding through all four in succession. Greater power will be obtained by expanding the steam through turbines 2, 3, and 4; still greater by expanding it through turbines 3 and 4; greater power than this by expanding steam simultaneously through 1 and 3 and then through 4; still greater by expanding steam simultaneously through 2 and 3 and then 4, and the maximum power by expanding steam simultaneously through 1 2 3 and then 4.

Referring to Fig. 5, in which are shown five shafts 49, 55, 40, 81, and 50, each arranged to be independently driven either by steam admitted directly or by steam exhausted from a high-pressure turbine or series of compound turbines, in the central casing 40 are arranged the turbines 41 42 43 and 44 45 46, being axial tandem compound turbines, arranged to be operated in the manner set forth concerning the turbines 1, 2, and 3 of Figs.

' shaft in the same direction.

1 and 2, and so arranged as to neutralize the axial thrust on shaft 40. 87 is a reversingturbine. Steam is supplied by pipe 47 and branch pipes 47 and 47 to the two sets of high-pressure turbines 41 42 a3 and 4% 45 46, through which steam passes in opposite directions, said turbines arranged to drive the Steam enters through valve 48 the two branch pipes into turbines 43 or 46, to which turbi'ues 42 etland 45 44 are respectively connected, by suitable pipes and connections in order to compound them in the manner shown in respect to turbines 1, 2, and 3, Figs. 1 and 2, previouslydescribed. The outermost shafts 49 and 50 carry turbines 5152 and 53 through which steam passes also in opposite directions to take up axial thrust on the shaftbearing,

, said turbines 52 and 54 being each provided with radial reversing-turbines U0 and 6l,sitnilar in all respects to turbine 5, (shown in Fig. 2,) arranged to receive boiler-steam through pipes (34 and 65, union 62-3, and valve 48. The pairs of turbines 5152 and 53 54; are connected with their respective condensers by pipes 72 and 74, and in like mannerthe pairs of turbines 58 59 and 56 57 are respectively connected to the same condensers 71 and '70 by pipes 75 and 73. Steam leaving the highpressure or central set of turbines arranged on shaft 40 passes through cut-off valve 76, controlling admission'of steam, to the pipes 77 and 79, leading, respectively, to valves 78 and 80 of the outermost pairs of turbines 51 52 and 53 5e, steam taking direction through several parts, as indicated by the arrows. Turbines 56 57 and 58 59 receive steam through their valves 86 and pipes 82 83 from a valve-controlled union 8%. With the arrangement of pipes to and from the highpressure turbines, such as shown in Fig. 5, steam can be fed to the high-pressure turbine set and from there simultaneously to all the other sets or to the high-pressure turbine compounded with only one auxiliary set, and if the exhaust of the high-pressure turbine set be connected directly to the condenser steam will drive this set only, which will be done by suitably closing the valves leading into these auxiliary sets, as the valves 78, 86, 85, and 80. Likewise, pairs of auxiliary-turbine sets can be simultaneously cutout by valves 84 or 76.

It is of course obvious that for smaller vessels requiring only three propellers the outermost sets of turbines on shafts 49 and 50 will be dispensed with, and it is also obvious that more than five may be used, combined in a similar manner to that shown. It is obvious that equal power is applied on both sides of the vessel, maintaining a more uniform running with less manipulation of the rudder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A plurality of turbines arranged on a shaft common to all of them, steam-pipes interconnecting the turbines, pipes to conduct the full volume and pressure of the steam to the turbines, suitable valves arranged in said pipes to tandemly compound from higher to lower pressure turbines in any order and a plurality of higher-pressure turbines in parallel to be compounded with one or more lower-pressure turbines in series, whereby different speeds are obtained without throttling the steam, substantially as set forth.

2. A plurality of turbines arranged on a shaft common to all of them, pipes intercon necting the turbines to cause the full volume and pressure of the steam to pass through some of them in a direction opposite to that in the others, steam inlet pipes and exhaust pipes for the higher-pressure turbines connected to the outlet-chamber of one or more lower-pressure turbines and valves in said pipes to cause steam to be expanded through all of the turbines in succession, in two or more of them simultaneously and expanded through the rest, or boiler-steam admitted to all of said turbines simultaneously, whereby different speeds are obtained without throttling the steam, substantially as set forth.

3. A plurality of'turbines arranged on a shaft common to all of them, the buckets and gates in one set arranged to receive the full volume and pressure of the steam in a direction opposite from that of the other set, pipes connecting the exhaust end of each turbine of a set with the inlet end ofall the lowerpressure turbines in that set, valves arranged in said pipes to expand steam successively through all the turbines of a set, any one of the turbines of a set compounded with one or more lower-pressure turbines of the set, and all or any of the turbines of a set arranged to run by boiler-steam, whereby difierent speeds are obtained without throttling the steam, substantially as set forth.

4. A plurality of turbines ar'ranged'on a shaft common to all of them and in two sets, the buckets and gates of one set arranged to receive steam in a direction opposite to that in the other set, a turbine for reverse running between the sets on said shaft, pipes connecting the exhaust end of each turbine with the inlet end of all the lower-pressure turbines, valves in said pipes, whereby steam can be directed through-each set independently, any one or all of the turbines of a-set receive boiler-steam directly, steam expanded from one or more into any of the'lower-pres' in one direction and the lower-pressure turbines producing an axial thrust in an opposite'direction, steam connections, suitable valves in said connections to direct steam through said turbines in tandem, and parallel compound a plurality of auxiliary turbines on each of a plurality of shafts, the auxiliary turbines on each shaft arranged to exert axial pressure in two directions, and cross compound steam connections, whereby the auxiliary turbines may be compounded in tandem and tandem parallel with the main tu rbines, substantially as set forth.

6. A nu mber of main turbines on a common shaft arranged in two sets, one turbine of each set arranged to produce an axial thrust in a direction opposite to that produced by the remaining turbines of the set, steam connections, valves in said connections to direct steam through the turbines in tandem, and parallel compound, a plurality of auxiliary turbines on each of a plurality of auxiliary shafts, the auxiliary turbines on each auxiliary shaft arranged to exert axial pressure in two directions, steam connections between the main and auxiliary turbines, valves in said connections to direct steam from a main to an auxiliary turbine, from all the main to auxiliary turbines either in parallel tandem or tandem parallel, substantially as set forth.

7. A plurality of high-pressure turbines on a shaft common to all of them, inlet-pipes for steam and steam connections between the exhaust end of each turbine and the inlet ends of the lower-pressure ones, suitable cutoff valves in said pipes and connections, whereby steam can be expanded successively through all or any number of the turbines, or simultaneously through any number and then successively through the remaining one; in combination with a plurality of auxiliary turbines on one or more independent shafts, arranged so that exhausted steam from the highpressure turbine will pass through the auxiliary turbines successively and a condenser arranged to receive exhaust-steam from the auxiliary turbines, substantially as set forth.

8. A plurality of high-pressure turbines on a shaft common to all of them, arranged so that steam will pass through sets of them in opposite directions, inlet-pipes for steam and steam connections between the exhaust end of each turbine of a set and the inlet ends of all the lower-pressure ones of a set, cut-01f valves in the pipes and steam connections, whereby steam can be expanded simultaneously or successively through the turbines of a set, or simultaneously through any number of them and then successively through the remaining ones; in combination with a plurality of auxiliary turbines arranged on in-. dependent shafts, a plurality of turbines on each shaft arranged to substantially balance their axial thrust, said auxiliary turbines having steam connections with the high-pressure sets of turbines and operated by the exhaust-steam from the latter, and reversingturbines on each shaft operated by boilersteam, substantially as set forth.

9. A plurality of high-pressure axial turbines on a shaft common to all of them, arranged in two sets and an independently-operated reversing-turbine between them,steaminlet pipes and connections between the exhaust end of each turbine and the inlet end of all the lower-pressure ones of a set, cutoff valves in the pipes and steam connections, whereby steam can be expanded simultaneously or successively through the turbines of one or both sets and then successively through the remaining lower-pressure ones; in combination with a plurality of auxiliary axial turbines arranged on independent shafts and operated by exhaust-steam from the highpressure turbines, two turbines on each shaft arranged in tandem and taking steam in opposite directions, a radial turbine on one end of each of the low-pressure auxiliary turbines arranged for reverse running and operated by boiler-steam, and condensers connected with the exhaust ends of the auxiliary turbines and their reversing-turbines, substantially as set forth.

10. A central shaft, a set of high-pressure turbines thereon and pipes interconnecting them, auxiliary shafts parallel on each side of the central shaft, a set of low-pressure turbines on each auxiliary shaft and pipes connecting the high-pressure set of turbines with the low-pressure set to expand steam exhausted from the high-pressure set, through them in series and a condenser connected to the low-pressure turbine of. each auxiliary set, substantially as set forth.

11. Aplurality of turbines of different sizes on a shaft common to all of them, steam-pipes interconnecting the turbines and means to vary the speed of said shaft by variously compounding said turbines, substantially as set forth. K

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RICHARD SCHULZ.

Witnesses:

J OEANNES HEIN, WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

